WELCOME TO MODELING 101!!!

There is more to the modeling world than the media lets on. If you want to find out what it really takes and how to manage your modeling career, then you've come to the right place! This blog is dedicated to the aspiring and already established models who live to defy the standards and stereotypes in order to make a place for themselves in this crazy industry.

Modeling 101 Followers - I Love You!!!

Subscribe To Modeling 101!

Follow Modeling 101 with Dania Denise by Email!

Tuesday, April 7, 2009

Male Models & Height

(This particular post is in reference to male models seeking to do fashion and runway modeling only, not commercial/print.)

So I realize that many of my posts are directed at female models because, well, there are so many of them out there! But I do acknowledge and recognize the male models out there, too, and believe me I do my best to try and squeeze in posts that relate to you guys as well.

While I will say that much of the information I provide (casting calls, submitting to agencies, etc.) can be applied to male modeling as well, I don't want anyone to get confused or feel they have to sort out exactly what applies to females and what applies to males so I decided to start trying to do more posts for male models or those aspiring to be one.

The height factor is not just an issue with female models but male models as well. Unfortunately, there are even less "exceptions to the rule" when it comes to male models than female models. There are definitely the Kate Mosses of the world but as far as I know (and feel free to comment and educate me!) there aren't any male models out there are are short but still super successful or fall into the supermodel realm.

In general, people think of men as being handsome, ruggard, sexy, and...tall! Height for men is super important, especially for photoshoots. I mean, if you're posing next to a female that is 5'10" without heels and is wearing 4 inch heels and you're next to her, you should be able to stand your ground, height-wise. So what are the requirements for male models?

In general, the majority (not all) of agencies that sign on fashion/runway male models set a height range of between 5'10"-6'2". The more picky ones set the minimum height at 5'11". And yes, as with female models, there is such a thing as being "too tall." Male models can usually get away with 6'3" but any taller than that, and most agencies will more than likely pass on you.

I came across a beautiful male model (I use the term "beautiful" for men when it comes to modeling--just a thing of mine I guess!) via one of the online modeling communities I'm a part of and I felt so bad for him because he had been searching for an agency for a long time and kept getting rejected because he stands at 6'5". Yikes!

For the male models or aspiring male models out there that don't meet the height requirement for fashion/runway, I don't have much advice to give you except to give freelance modeling a shot and definitely seek out commercial/print agencies. If you want, you can still submit your information to fashion/runway agencies but just be prepared to be told that you are too short.

I'm sure there are plenty of male models out there that are considered too short by agency standards but still mange to have a career doing it freelance, part-time or pursuing other categories of modeling, so that could totally be an option if you are willing to work and network hard enough. But it is important to point out that if you're under 5'9"--actually, under 5'10" to be more realistic--your chances of being a signed agency model for fashion/runway will be lowered greatly, meaning that a career in fashion/runway modeling may not be a reality for you. And that's okay.

Not being able to be a fashion model is not the end all and be all of life. Take it as a lesson learned and move on to something you are more suited for...there are plenty of other modeling niches where you can the perfect fit.

53 comments:

Anonymous
said...

Wait a minute, Mark Wahlberg is only 5'8(173cm)that's quite short compared to others yet he was the face of CK underwear and dubbed as the hottest hunk alive. Height is not really a problem. Same thing goes for Swedish soccer star,Frederik Ljunberg who's stood proudly with the height 176cm and chosen again by CK to be their boxers model. I give full credit and appreciation to Calvin Klein who proved to be fair and square by not just looking at their height but also charm and confidence.

to be fair, both Mark Wahlberg and Frederik does not start their career as model. They become famous by doing something else, and then jump into modelling (the print ad) The advertiisng in theose CK underwear was more focused on the name both guys carries, hence their height plays small role.

I doubt any of the two would be chosen for a runway model if they are not famous initially before modelling.

I am 20 years old, and have always been called good looking and handsome to the mostly every woman I've met from 16 and up and have been told on many occasions I should atleast try to model my face, although I stand at a mere 5'9" I wouldn't know where to start.

Also, should male models be careful of shady female photographers, or sleazy girls with cameras? Because I've been hearing from a lot of male models about them and that they were complaining about female photographers just taking photos of guys, even in an inappropriate matter which made them feel uncomfortable, behaving in inappropriate ways, and using their photos without their consent and how they had violent confrontations with them and called them nasty names like slut, tramp, whore, etc. especially when these female photographers were ranging from the later teens to middle age and even teenage male models had violent and destructive arguments with them as well. Believe it or not, there could be shady female photographers, or clients out there and some male models will just deal with them through violence and insults.

I have the same problem as your 6'5" mate. I'm 6'7" and am told repeatedly I have an excellent look but I'm too tall.It's frustrating because if there is a 6' Girl in heals we would look great together but I'd make all the 6'2" Guys look like midgets.I'd can understand runway but for Photographic work I fail to see the problem. I still fit regular clothes for the most part.

Addressing the first comment. . . yes Mark Wahlberg was the face of CK underwear and the soccer star Frederik Ljunberg was chosen to model the CK boxers, but the only reason why they were picked is because they aren't models. They are celebrities, which means that they will be able to advertise the product better because more people know who they are. Take Kim Kardashian for example, she models for several different ad campaigns but only because she is a tv personality star and she is famous. More people know her name, and with her undeniable beauty, women want to look like her and men want her. So they use her to help sell their merchandise, its a trick advertising experts use to generate more publicity for the product and increase sales.

My son is absolutely gorgeous. We hear this all the time. He has a killer smile and the small body frame which will never get much bigger. I would like to get his face out there but dont know where to start. Any suggestions? Thanks in advance for the help

Totally nonsense. I'm sorry. For runway modeling, you are deff right. But why not doing printing/commercial, editorial, fit, body parts, modeling? Petit modeling as well. Shorter guy CAN work as a model too, who said they can't? If they are really handsome, have a great personality, take care of their body, got that attitude, they can deff be succesfull and for your information; in some cases, they can make more money than those other runway ones. So, review your concepts before saying and confirming things that you dont really know about. Thanks and have a good one.

The point of my post was directed specifically at aspiring male models wanting to get into runway and fashion modeling, not commercial/print. If you read my other blog posts, of which there are many, I have plenty of posts that deal with commercial/print, parts and other types of modeling. I also have updated my readers to be on the lookout for a future series of male-specific posts that will cover a lot of various types of modeling as it relates to their gender. So for my readers that are in the know, they're aware that this post is about fashion and runway.

I made adjustments to this post to make it more clear that I am referring to the height requirement in the perspective of fashion and runway agencies. I keep forgetting that many new readers take things out of context, don't realize that a specific post is meant for a specific subject or assume something about my blog based on one post. Trust me, I'm not that naive to think that shorter male models can't make it in the industry.

Hi i am 17 and 5'10 and i really want to be a model, ive been told by my doctor that i will at least grow to be 5'11. however i am also overweight(193lb) and ive been told my doctor that by my bmi if i were at leqst drop down to 170-175lb that i can get peetty tall. and another thing that i was really worried about in modeling is. i feel like in modeling. photographers and fashion designers look for the "angel" look which what i mean by they tend to photograph people who have multicolored hair and light eyes. I am half puerto rican/african american. i have basically all of my fathers features(light skin, face structure, lips you name it) so im scared that i may not land in an angency. Is 5'10 a good height?

Hi! My son is interested in modeling. He is 14 and 6' We want to get started, and are in the process of making comp cards. He is too tall for children's, but is seen as too young for adult open calls. I know the Industry loves young girls on the runway, but what are the chances for a young boy?

My son is 22 years old, 6'5" chiseled and very good looking. Everyone tells him he should be modeling - even the guys he works with. Is there any opportunity for him out there? Where does one go to get noticed??ThanksGary

I have this attractive face and unique looks. i think i can do modeling. my interest developed towards modeling last year. Though I am 17 and i stand 176 cm/ i am searching for ways to grow taller. i think i am 17 people grow till 20. i know a model who was 183 in her age of 19 then she became 20 and she is 185. i am so confused that i should give it a try or not.

Hi, syed ali waris shah! You'll find the answer to your questions in its own post, titled "Answering a Reader Question #749," which can be found on my other blog: "Modeling 101 - Answering Readers Questions."

Please visit this link: http://amodelsdiary-readerquestions.blogspot.com/ and you can view your post there. Thanks for reading!

I understand that this is an old post, but I only just ran across it. Since I have no interest in being a model, my comment is as an outside observer.

I think male models ( as an aside I don't like using the word boy which I think connotes that male models are 12 or 13 years old) should be between 6'2" and 6'5". if the average female model is 5'9" - 6'0" and is in all likelihood wearing heals, she will be in the neighborhood of 6'1" to 6'3". This is only a couple of inches shorter than the male counterpart. I think the average male mode needs to be at least 2 - 3 inches taller than their female counterpart.

Having short (5'9", 5'10") male models looks silly on the runway next to a 6'3" (with 5 inch heels) female model.

I know my next statement isn't politically correct, but I think models ( in particularity runway) should be tall and regal looking. Setting a high (pardon the pun) standard.

If I were running an Agency, I would consider anyone shorter than 6'2" as a male model.

The height factor is not just an issue with female models but male models as well. Unfortunately, there are even less "exceptions to the rule" when it comes to male models than female models. There are definitely the Kate Mosses of the world but as far as I know (and feel free to comment and educate me!) there aren't any male models out there are are short but still super successful or fall into the supermodel realm.

Hi, mohamed maatouk! You'll find the answer to your questions in its own post, titled "Answering a Reader Question #797," which can be found on my other blog: "Modeling 101 - Answering Readers Questions."

Please visit this link: http://amodelsdiary-readerquestions.blogspot.com/ and you can view your post there. Thanks for reading!

May I have your honest opinion, please? It is about my look, and age. I am 16/07/89 years old. All the agencies I have applied to by online submission said that I am not right for them, and that I should contact other agencies on the AMA list. Some agencies did not reply at all. Others said they are not looking for models of my type right now. What does all this mean?

But, I just wanted to know if my look is any potential. I have emailed asking agencies about my look vs potential, but is not given a straight forward answer. They just simply not answer, or, they tell me about some other agency. How can I send you photo's so you may assess my suitability for the industry? I would truly appreciate your brutality.

I would be more than happy to answer your questions and hopefully clarify things for your situation. You can send photos, questions and anything else on your mind directly to my email address: daniadenise@gmail.com

I look forward to hearing from you and hopefully getting you pointed in the right direction, no brutality necessary. ;-)

Thank you Dania. Your reply makes total sense. He does have problems finding clothes to fit with those long legs and small waist!! However, he does find them and a clothing company specializing in tall people clothing may be interested. So, like you say it is worth looking into for a definite answer. Thank you!

Since you're commenting on this post about male models, I'm going to assume that you are a male. I apologize but I couldn't tell based on your name alone. Given your age and height, you are currently ideal for commercial/print modeling. Most fashion/runway modeling agencies want their male models to be at least 6'0". Very few accept shorter than that but it would be a good idea for you to do an online search for agencies within a 2 hour's drive from where you live and checking out their websites to see what the height requirements for their male models are and then goig from there.

I'm from South Africa.So I don't think height is key when it comes to shoots where its CK or any other brand especially if they like your look.if you have a body for being an underwear model and they look then height is not an issue.their are 5ft4in supermodels who are doing great and there is this one male supermodel who is 5ft9in(176cm) and doing great in terms of fashion runway...all you need to do is work hard,,remember modelling is no longer a hobby but a career

Hi Anonymous, thanks for the comment/post! I've mentored aspiring models from South Africa and like other large markets, height does play a part when it comes to high fashion and runway for male models just like female models. If you look at any website for a South African agency, you may see a few exceptions to the rules but for the most part agencies want tall male models for fashion/runway.

What are the names of the 5'4" female supermodel and 5'9" male supermodel? When trying to debate the height issue, stating that there are "short supermodels" doesn't really hold any weight if you don't inlude the names of those individuals. I'm not saying that you're wrong but without a name to look up those people, no one can readily believe that statement.

If the short supermodels you're thinking of are celebrities (i.e. actors, singers, TV personalities, athletes, etc), then that doesn't count because it was their celeb status and not their height that allowed them to get into modeling. Mark Whalberg is a prime example of this.

I definitely agree with your message about being positive and working hard but it's really important to have solid evidence to support your claim about short supermodels to avoid giving false hope to shorter male models who should focus on getting into print modeling if they realistically can't be considered for agency representation as high fashion/runway models.

My article is speaking in generalities about the subject of male models and height so it's meant to be taken in a broad way and isn't super specific.

The list of ANTM winners, which are mostly female (and therefore not really relevant to this particular article dealing with male models and height), range from 5'6.5" to 6'2" (http://www.wetpaint.com/antm-winners-how-tall-are-they-694629/) so they are all over the place in regards to height.

My article states (in regards to male models):

"In general, the majority (not all) of agencies that sign on fashion/runway male models set a height range of between 5'10"-6'2". The more picky ones set the minimum height at 5'11"."

Fashion agencies are always going to favor taller models, which is why I state in the article about the minimum versus maximum height requirements and why that's something for aspiring male models to keep in mind.

Hi :)Just today I was in London and visited 4 well known agencies. Premier, Models1, Select and Next. All of them said my height of 6'4" was too tall for them, 3 of them said their max is 6'2 and one of them said their absolute max is 6'3. This was really frustrating as I have 'the look', blonde and thin etc but I'm only 1 inch out? Seems a bit crazy but they did explain it to me how it really is important in terms of clothing/fitting. Considering they were all editorial agencies which seek very unique individuals I feel I should've have visited commercial based agencies instead. My look is more traditional and better suited commercially I was told. Also I apparently am too broad (shoulders) for editorial as they have very slim models.

Soon I will visit London again and instead, focus on commercial agencies and hope for the best that someone will be interested in a tall fella.

Bear in mind for tall models, smaller males of 6'1 would get more jobs than a male of 6'4; and considering the modelling career is very inconsistent in itself, for a 6'4 male it seems like it would be practically unemployed. Either way I will still persist.

That is definitely frustrating to be told you're too tall even though you have everything else on the checklist. The fact that the agencies shared that insight with you and explained their requirements is great, however, as not all agencies would even take the time out to bother.

While the outcome with the fashion/editorial agencies didn't work out, it's good that you came away from it understanding why (although I don't agree of course, haha) and know that it isn't anything personal. It's just business as usual.

I hope you'll keep me/my readers updated about your experiences with the commercial agencies. I know they usually work with shorter models (male and female alike) but it would be very inspirational I'm sure to the taller male models out there who may not be sure whether or not commercial would be a viable option for them.

About Me

This blog has come a long way since I started it in 2007! After more than 15 years in the modeling industry I have grown to be just as passionate about helping others get into modeling as I am about working in the industry itself. This blog will provide new, aspiring and established models words of wisdom, helpful tips, resources, advice, information and insight into the modeling world that not many people care to take the time to share. I believe we all should pursue our dreams--even if they end up not being the right fit. In addition to this blog I am also a model mentor and hope to begin traveling to do meet and greets with my readers and fans. If you want to set up a meet and greet, need advice for your own situation or want to request a topic for me to write about, please shoot me an email.